I had been telling my students for about a month that my family would be coming and had been encouraging them to not be shy, as that is their usual behavior when they meet a new "farang". My students had been excited to meet "farang" children, especially since my brother B is the same age as many of them. They practiced how to pronounce my brother's names and grew more and more excited as the imminent date of arrival approached.
Dad, Linda and my brothers (B age 13 and Will age 8) arrived in Nakhon Phanom on the evening of June 30Th. They next afternoon we headed to my school for my classes. We arrived during lunch so students were sitting in the breeze way when we pulled up. I heard a few "ooohhh eee's" as we drove up but nothing prepared me for what would happen next....
We stepped out of the car and immediately all the girl students started hysterically screaming.
They screamed and pointed at my brothers and yelled "handsome!" and then just kept on screaming. It was like B and Will were rock stars. My assistant director, dressed in his boy scout finest, introduced himself to my family and then grabbed B by the wrist and pulled him over to the girls, laughing at how the closer he got the louder they screamed. Poor B was dumbstruck with all the attention and I had to literally pry him away.
My family helped me play bingo with each class and it was a huge hit. Will jumped right into help the lower level students to find the words on their cards and soon students we saying "Teacher Will, come here, come here!" to get him to help them. The girls we distracted by B and kept turning in their seats to look at him and to try to persuade him to come help them with their bingo cards....yet B stayed over with the boys, probably a wise decision as a cat fight may have ensued out for his attention.
Students with free periods stood in the door ways and windows of the class and to watch all the action, not wanting to miss a thing. When classes ended students begged me to shake my brothers hands. I had them line up to shake both B and Wills hands...but the order didn't last long! Students ran for B and Will and stroked the white skin of their arms, shook their hands and giggled uncontrollably. Many took pictures posing with B and I was sure some of the girls would faint dead away when B put his arm around them for a few photos. Students strove to make conversation with the boys, the look of concentration on their faces was hard to miss.
This behavior went on for a the full two days my family came to school. While Dad, Linda and I got a huge kick out of it I think it may have been a little overwhelming for the boys...I tried to explain that their visit was exciting for the students because they had NEVER seen white kids in person before, that they were the first "farang" my students had ever met who were their own age so for them meeting B and Will was as exciting as meeting Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus would be for American teens.
Yet watching all this chaos I couldn't help but feel proud of my students. When I first started at Wangkasae they were so shy they tried to avoid me. Now they jump at the chance to try to use their new English skills to make a new farang friends. I couldn't be prouder.
This week students keep asking where my brother B and teacher Will are. They tell me that they miss them and that "teacher Nongchai (brother) my friend!" I cant help but be grateful that I was blessed with two of the best brothers in the world, who are now super stars in Northeast Thailand. Thank you so much Dad and Linda for bringing them to see me and for touching the lives of my students.
The Mast Family in Bangkok
Siblings in SE Asia striking a pose
That's amazing! Just to think what an impact this whole experience is for those students of yours. I love reading your blog!!
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